Sharmeen Mehri is an English Literature student from Karachi in Pakistan. She is currently studying at SUNY Plattsburgh and this is her first post.

Many ask me where is home? To me home can be found wherever my heart is, my favorite people are, where there is a kind of joy which feels infinite. I have found that in Plattsburgh through the hospitality and kind actions that have been presented to me by the people of Plattsburgh, by other students from around the United States, from students all around the globe, from professors and the staff of State University of New York at Plattsburgh. I am from Pakistan, a country located in the sub-continent which has been known for its ups and especially its downs but still has always been my home – it is another place where my heart belongs.

Studying abroad has been one of my biggest fears since childhood. Seeing my brothers go through this, my heart kept beating the second I got out of my car to go upstairs to the International Student Services at SUNY Plattsburgh. However the second I stepped in the office I felt this positive energy which I never knew I would find being so far away from home. Even though there were other students coming in and out with their families there was not a disturbance or an effect of a chaotic environment. Darlene and my orientation leader Alexandra were present there waiting to guide me in the next steps I had to take. I still remember what Darlene had said to me and my mother that day ‘At the ISS I am known as the mom of the staff however the second your mother steps out of this office you are on your own and you have to take responsibility of all your actions.’ This truly made me realize what I had settled in for – independence and making myself gain all types of experiences to develop myself as a person.

During the course of my first semester I had already met the best of friends and the best of people all around. Any question or any difficulty I had I went to the ISS for help and they gave me an opportunity to learn more than what I came to ask for. Being an international student I wanted to involve myself in multi-cultural groups and events such as Club International and The Night of Nations where I performed with six other international students.

Plattsburgh being as great as home, there have been difficulties such as getting adjusted to the laws and culture of America – especially the food for me. That is why there have been opportunities such as Flavor Fridays at our dining hall where every Friday a different cultural food is made. Recently Pakistani Dhaal and Biryani were made – this made me happier as I got to share a part of me with my friends.

The staff at Plattsburgh has been so generous that one of our dining hall cooks – Jackie, took my two friends and I to a trip around Plattsburgh and the small towns near it. The history that I have learnt in a day about the natural beauty and talent and passion for outdoor sports is magnificent to see. We visited three different lakes, saw a beautiful landscape of the mountain range known as the Adirondacks and went to the Olympic center near Lake Placid. It has been one of the best days of mine exploring Plattsburgh. The one year spent here has made me realize that I belong and also that I belong to not only myself and my home country but to other places that I travelled to, to the memories I have made and the people I have shared them with. Thank you Plattsburgh for making my experience here as homely and family-like as possible.

My orientation group and I taking a picture at the stoned inscription of ‘Plattsburgh State University of New York’.